Lulu thought, 'Who would have thought he had such people on his side? If it's really a group, that would be terrifying.'Nicole smiled slightly, maintaining her composure. "Our people are not weak either."Patricia was in the open while that person was hidden, which naturally made it easier for them to take action. But don't forget, she also had her own people in the shadows.Lulu furrowed her brows. "Do you think Everett could already know about Zane's people in San Joto?"Several people were mysteriously captured, and Everett didn't say anything, probably guessing something."Maybe he didn't know at first, but by now he should have guessed," Nicole responded. However, these details were not important. If Zane's people wanted to stay hidden, they wouldn't be easily found.Even if Everett guessed, it wouldn't matter. Without revealing themselves, his people couldn't find them."So now, he can only use BayCorp as leverage. He will definitely try to take control of BayCorp." It's
"Fully fed and watered, nothing happened," Ellar leaned back in his seat, a slight smile playing on his lips.The assistant ventured, "He hasn't discovered anything, has he?""No, it doesn't seem like he's noticed anything yet," Ellar confidently stated. "He even warned me as he was leaving, giving me three days.""Three days, but what will he do after that?" the assistant inquired.Ellar shrugged. "Guess he'll start threatening me then." Everett had only talked about wanting to collaborate this time and hadn't mentioned anything about the seal. Ellar could only continue to pretend he didn't know the seal was missing and wait. In three days, when Everett shows up with the fake seal, Ellar plans to strip him of everything.Time flowed swiftly, and three days passed in the blink of an eye.Nicole and Jared arrived at the dining room as usual."Mom, Dad," Nicole greeted before sitting down with Jared."Daddy, Mommy," Nolan and Lana sweetly called out to the two.Nicole, with eyes
Gloria pondered for a moment before replying, "Well... we'll see when the time comes."If there really was nothing else going on, a trip could be nice."Deal," Daniel said with a laugh.Gloria rolled her eyes at him. "I haven't agreed to it yet.""You'll go," Daniel was quite confident.Seeing Daniel's demeanor, Gloria couldn't help but laugh.After Nicole and Jared dropped off Nolan and Lana, they arrived at Riddle Corporation.As the car stopped, Nicole looked up at Jared with a smile. "I'm heading up."Jared gently squeezed her hand, softly saying, "Alright, I'll come to pick you up after work.""Mm," Nicole agreed, then opened the door and got out of the car.After watching the car drive away, Nicole turned to enter the company and happened to run into Lulu."Jared has left, but no worries, I'll keep you company," Lulu joked, linking her arm with Nicole's.Nicole gave Lulu a look, feeling amused. "Then I guess I should thank you.""Don't mention it," Lulu replied with
"We'll just have to wait then," Lulu sighed.Nicole smiled, a curve playing on her lips. "Don't worry about it anymore. Mom mentioned this morning that Steve might not be able to come to the office for a while. So, I was thinking of handing over Steve's responsibilities to you.""Oh, sure," Lulu readily agreed, understanding that Sally must be close to her due date."You've had some experience with Steve's tasks before, and we haven't involved him in any new projects lately. So, taking over shouldn't be a problem for you," Nicole reasoned, feeling that Lulu was the right choice."Don't worry, I can handle it." Knowing that Steve would soon be on leave, she had already prepared herself to take over his duties.She had also thought it through—there was so much going on in the company, and with Nicole needing to deal with Everett's matters, taking some of the load off seemed like the only thing she could do."That's the best. When Steve comes back from his leave, he should be able t
Everett's eyes narrowed slightly as he was aware that Patricia was no simple character. Given her statement, he wondered whether it was a psychological tactic or if they possessed other evidence.It was clear that Ellar was at a disadvantage, yet their insistence on following legal procedures made him feel somewhat uneasy, concerned he might have overlooked something."Fine, let's proceed with legal action. I'm calling the police right now," Ellar said, clutching the document Everett had given him. This was evidence, after all.A flicker of unease crossed Everett's mind, sensing something was amiss.With a slight narrowing of his eyes, Everett asked again in a serious tone, "Are you sure about this?""Hmph, we'll see," Ellar responded, unwilling to show weakness.Everett forced himself to remain calm, knowing he wouldn't get a resolution today and had no choice but to leave.Casting a meaningful glance at Ellar, Everett could only say, "Next time we meet, I hope you can still sm
"How did it go, smoothly?" Lulu asked Patricia with a smile, clearly expecting that everything had gone according to plan."It's going smoothly so far," Patricia recounted the details before adding, "I came here to double-check if we need to make any changes to our plan."Nicole's eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze turning thoughtful. "No need."At this point, it was all about psychological warfare. Given Everett's suspicions, he was likely to have Doretta keep an eye on Ellar. As long as Doretta relayed information that Everett expected to see, there was no need for them to alter their strategy.Everything now depended on Ellar. Doretta would surely report his every move to Everett, who would use this information to decide his next steps.As long as Ellar acted as predicted, Everett would proceed with his plans, and their opportunity would arise."So, what we need to do now is still wait?" Lulu asked, slightly furrowing her brows."Yes," Nicole nodded. "But this time, the wait wo
"Right," Lulu nodded in agreement. If two people could find happiness together, that truly was enough.Meanwhile, Everett had returned to his company.Upon entering his office, Everett asked with a dark expression, "Any news?""Doretta mentioned that Ellar doesn't seem as composed as he appeared. It's likely he was just putting on an act in front of you. After we left, Patricia immediately went to Riddle Corporation, probably to discuss their strategy," Jerry reported."Hmph," Everett gritted his teeth. "Keep a close eye on Ellar."The more he thought about today's events, the stranger they seemed. Ellar appeared genuinely unconcerned about BayCorp, even challenging him to a lawsuit. 'Is he really not afraid?'"Hexton has already relayed the message to her. She'll send any news immediately," Jerry responded.Everett sat down, his gaze dark and thoughtful.Now that he had control over BayCorp, Ellar seemed unwilling to compromise. 'Does Ellar want to give up BayCorp for Nicole,
Deep down, Ellar knew that they couldn't keep their situation a secret much longer, but selfishly, he thought, 'if we can sustain it for one more day, then why not?'He was aware that this was all a dream for him, and there would come a time to wake up, so he wished to dream a little longer.Patricia looked at Ellar, her lips slightly bitten in hesitation, unsure of what to do.Then came a knock at the door, and both of them turned to look."Ellar, Patricia." Doretta stood at the doorway, hesitating as if wanting to come in but appearing somewhat awkward."What is it?" Ellar internally clenched his teeth but maintained a neutral tone."It's about some work..." Doretta glanced toward Patricia, seeming a bit troubled.Understanding the cue, Patricia looked at Ellar. "I'll step out then.""Then what we were discussing is settled," Ellar quickly added.Patricia gave Ellar a look, but couldn't refuse in front of Doretta, so she left.Ellar's lips curled slightly; he took that as P
"Let's go, it's time to head down. The ceremony will start soon."The group laughed and talked as they left the bridal suite. Jared and his friends, Spencer and Preston, were also guided out by everyone.Now, only the family of four remained in the bridal suite, getting ready for their big entrance."Mommy, it's almost time. Let's get ready," Nolan said, pulling on Nicole's hand.Nicole gently patted Nolan and Lana's cheeks, whispering, "Okay."As she made to stand, Jared extended his hand toward her. Lifting her gaze, she caught Jared in a moment of elegance, his charm unmistakable. A smile bloomed on her face as she placed her hand in his.With a gentle tug, Jared drew her up, his touch tender against her palm.In a swift move, he pulled Nicole into his arms, his other hand circling her waist to pull her close.As Jared looked at Nicole, admiration shimmered in his eyes. "You look truly beautiful today," he remarked."Daddy, Mommy is beautiful every day," Lana chimed in, til
Nicole laughed off the debate between Lulu and June, saying, "Both are lovely. I'm happy with either."Both sets of jewelry were beautiful, and she felt that either would do."Exactly. Nicole will shine in anything," Cindy said, picking a set. "Let's go with this one."Lulu gave June a victorious look. "Told you this was the one."Cindy then suggested, "Why not wear this for the ceremony and switch for the reception? That way, we use both.""Great idea," June agreed, smiling at Cindy's suggestion.Nicole smiled. "Sounds perfect."With everyone agreeing, the stylist went ahead with preparing Nicole.Lulu watched Nicole, amazed by how calm she seemed. "Aren't you a bit nervous?" she asked. Lulu remembered her own wedding jitters.Nicole bit her lip, a hint of nerves showing. "I'm more excited than anything," she admitted.She had been looking forward to this day, ready to face the future with Jared with hope and joy."Just finished," the stylist announced, stepping back to adm
"Do you think I don't want to meet someone? I just haven't found the right person," Gary said somewhat resignedly. He had long regarded Nicole as just a friend."Why don't we just try the dates our families set up?" Ryder suggested, calm and collected. He figured since finding someone on his own wasn't working, maybe arranged dates could help. In their circles, it seemed like good matches were meant to be."Arranged dates don't sound great. You hardly know the person. Are we really okay with deciding to spend our lives together like that?" Preston wasn't too keen on the idea."Emery's doing pretty well with it, you know," Ryder said confidently. "I trust our families. They wouldn't set us up with someone terrible. They've probably made sure we'd be a good match."Gary thought it over. "You might be right. Our families aren't just trying to make deals; they want us to be happy."As Gary and Ryder seemed more into the idea, Preston was still unsure. "You guys are serious?""Why not
Jared held Nicole close and looked at her. "After we get married, we'll move to the estate," he said.Their future home would be just theirs.He thought it was good for Nicole to spend more time with her family since she hadn't been with them for five years. But they knew they would move to the estate later."Okay," Nicole said, nodding. She was happy Jared made the estate close to her family, so she was okay with moving.Jared gently touched her hair and kissed her...****Time flew, and soon it was Nicole and Jared's wedding day.From the morning, San Joto was alive with excitement. Everyone was talking about Jared and Nicole's wedding.Politicians, business leaders, close friends, and business partners all came to wish the couple well.The Riddles were busy welcoming the guests, making everything look amazing."Patricia, hurry up, Charlie's here," Ellar called out as he spotted Charlie. He quickly got Patricia to come and greet him. Max, hearing the fuss, came over too.C
"You really need to rest. You shouldn't work for the next few days. Stay home and rest. A bride has to look her best," Gloria said, looking at Nicole and making the decision for her."Bride!" Nicole was surprised because she hadn't talked about any wedding yet."Yes, now that everything is settled, it's time for your wedding with Jared," Gloria said, deciding firmly. She used to think it was best for the kids to decide for themselves, but after several delays, she felt waiting longer made no sense. The wedding should happen soon."I was thinking that too," Jared said. They had planned the wedding after solving the Everett problem, but then they found out Lawrence had hurt Nicole in the past, causing more delays. Now, with everything sorted out, they saw no reason to wait. The wedding was the next big step.Nicole looked at Jared and, with a smile, agreed, "Okay." Their wedding had been waiting for five years; it was time, with no need to wait any longer."That's so cool, I'm the f
Patricia felt a mix of reluctance and happiness as she prepared to part ways with Charlie.Jared glanced at Charlie and said, "It's about time for us to board." He tenderly held Nicole's hand and led her toward the boarding gate."I need to go through the boarding procedures too," Patricia said, biting her lip. "You must find happiness as well.""I will," Charlie assured her with a gentle smile, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You've grown up, too. You don't need to cling to me anymore. I believe Ellar will take great care of you."Patricia nodded, then, leaning closer to Charlie, she whispered, 'When Mr. Johnston and Ms. Riddle get married, make sure you bring my future sister-in-law back with you.' Caught off guard, Charlie playfully scolded her, "You little rascal."Doretta, standing not too far away, overheard Patricia's whispered words. Her cheeks turned even redder."Let's go," Patricia announced, then turned to Doretta, adding, "We'll meet again.""Goodbye,
Lying in bed with Nicole cradled in his arms, Jared whispered gently, "Sleep for a bit.""Mhm." Finally feeling at peace, Nicole smiled slightly, and she quickly fell asleep.As Jared listened to her soft breathing, his eyes softened with affection, and he too closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.The next morning, as the group got ready to head back to San Joto, Zane and Doretta came to say goodbye."I still have things to finish here, but I promise to be at your wedding," Zane said with a big smile."And I'll be there to wish you well, Nicole," Doretta added.Saying goodbye is always hard, but everyone knew they had their own journeys to continue."Great, we'll see you in San Joto," Nicole said with a bright smile."It's time to go," Zane said, knowing they couldn't wait any longer without risking missing their plane."I've got the paperwork," Patricia said, ready to help with the travel documents for Jared and Nicole. Then, looking at Charlie, she asked, "Need help with
Nicole was quiet, thinking about everything. 'If I hadn't remembered everything, maybe Lawrence and I could have stayed friends. But after finding out about the airport, it's impossible...'Not only had she regained her memory, but she had also learned about the airport incident. Lawrence had gone to great lengths to prevent her from returning to San Joto."Thanks for saving me before, but you also hurt me. We're even now," Nicole said calmly, looking at Lawrence like he was someone she didn't know anymore.Jared squeezed Nicole's hand gently. "Let's go."They decided to leave the rest to Zane and head back."Wait." Lawrence's voice stopped Nicole. He sounded almost like he was begging. "Please, don't tell Nolan about this."Nicole paused, then said, "I won't tell him. Not for you, but because I don't want Nolan to see how bad people can be."With that, Nicole walked away with Jared.Lawrence sat down, watching her leave, with mixed feelings."Let's go too," Patricia said to C
"Your robots don't work anymore," a voice said, sounding very pleased. Then, a person came out from behind the crowd, looking pretty proud of himself."Carl!" Nicole was shocked to see him. 'It's Carl!'"It's been a while." Carl smiled and waved at Nicole.Carl had come as soon as Zane told him about the problem. He couldn't just do nothing when Nicole needed help.He didn't expect them to act so soon, which is why he was a little late. But he was still in time to help. Carl was surprised by Lawrence's robots at first, but luckily, the weapons he brought, which he had been working on for years, stopped the robots. This was a big help to everyone."We really need to thank Carl; we would have been in big trouble without him," Zane said, feeling relieved.Zane had asked Carl for help, hoping it would make them more likely to win, but Carl ended up being very important."Thank you," Nicole said with a warm smile. It was nice to see an old friend again."No need to thank me. I'm jus